Doctor in waterboarding case: State overreacting

DOVER, Del. 
A Delaware physician accused of waterboarding his 11-year-old stepdaughter says he is being persecuted by authorities because of a 2009 doctor abuse scandal in the state.

Dr. Melvin Morse tells The Associated Press that he is the victim of what he called hysteria following the prosecution of pediatrician Earl Bradley. Bradley is serving 14 life sentences for abusing scores of his young patients over more than a decade.

Morse ended Monday's telephone interview before he could be asked directly about the specific charges in his case.

Morse, who is out on bail, faces a preliminary hearing Thursday on felony charges of child endangerment after being accused of holding his daughter's face under a running faucet on several occasions.